The cupcakery sprinkles really needs no introduction. What was once a colorful decoration, now has turned into a high-end chain throughout the US. And they’re multiplying almost as fast as Starbucks. Pretty soon, your adorable corner bakeshop will be out of commission due to Sprinkles.
And yet, I am a member of the crowd. I love Sprinkles cupcakes. They are massive, I get my whole five-dollar’s worth, there is SO much amazing icing, and they have the ultimate red velvet cupcake. My two homes happen to be within driving distance from the original two Sprinkles cupcakeries (Beverly Hills and the Bay Area), so I eat Sprinkles’ cupcakes all year long. I happened to be home for the weekend and so grabbed a cupcake my local Sprinkles. Since Sprinkles is pretty much known for their red velvet cupcake, this is what I ordered (unlike other places, I did NOT order multiple, mainly because the cupcakes are too big to fit in my stomach).
Atmosphere of the cupcake bakery/cupcakery – 2.8
Sprinkles is always crowded with people, usually soccer moms fighting to get the last cupcakes for their kid’s birthday parties (these cupcakes are probably contributing their child’s obesity). This weekend at home was no exception, but luckily the line contained only 6 people. Getting six people to get off their cell phones, decide on the cupcake they want, and then actually placing the order takes a whole lot longer than one would think. It’s probably an average of about 5 minutes per person. And Sprinkles has an interesting system – you tell them your cupcake, and even though you watch them grab your cupcake for you, you still have to wait an extra five minutes before they call your name. I do not understand this. Yes Sprinkles, I see that you are holding my cupcake hostage behind the counter. No, I do not appreciate this. I want to eat the cupcake not just stare at all the ones I didn’t buy. If I hand a separate person manning the register my credit card to swipe, by the time I swipe and sign, you will probably have my cupcake all boxed. That would be great, k thanks.
Moistness of the cake in the cupcake – 1
Sprinkles may make you wait forever to touch your $5.00 cupcake, but I have to say it’s totally worth it. The cupcake is perfectly moist – it is pretty hard to compete, which is probably why they are so popular. Bravo Sprinkles.
Frosting – 1
I personally love Sprinkles’ frosting. I do know, however, that this is not the case with most people. Some find it tremendously too sweet. BUT I think they fail to eat the cupcake correctly. If you’re a moron and decide to just taste the frosting, then of course it’s going to be too sweet. Frosting is not an eat-alone snack. It is a topping to a cake. BUT if you take a clean bite through the frosting all the way to the bottom of the cupcake, then you get a perfect ratio of cake to cupcake. Now the absolute perfect ratio would probably be stuffing the whole cupcake in your mouth at once… but please don’t try that. Also word to the wise – don’t eat the weird sprinkle on the top of the cupcake. Turns out it isn’t really edible.
Packaging – 2
One would think that after spending 5 minutes to wrap your cupcake up, you would have like the best contraption for cupcake transport ever. False. They stick it in these boxes that are JUST big enough to fit the number of cupcakes you have purchased. Perfectly engineered you say? Yes, but sadly NO, because the icing inevitably smacks the side of the case and there goes a chunk of icing AND your perfect icing to cupcake ratio. And perhaps $0.10 of your cupcake.
Feeling after eating the cupcake -3
Sprinkles cupcakes are really for sharing. You can’t eat a whole sprinkles cupcake unless you are substituting cupcake for a meal. Should you decide to take on a Sprinkles cupcake by yourself, you will inevitably feel like you just ate Thanksgiving dinner combined with a sugar rush rather than the sleepy-enzymes from the turkey. So essentially, you feel overwhelmed and hyper. While your taste buds scream for more, your stomach says noooo.
Overall Score: 1.96
Sprinkles
9635 South Santa Monica Boulevard
Beverly Hills, CA 90210 (yes THE 90210)
$3.50 per cupcake, $39 per dozen
Also, fun fact – each of the weird “sprinkles” on top denotes the type of cupcake it is! Click here for the full list.
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